Rangers 1 - 0 Liverpool Tues 18/10/11

RANGERS got the perfect tonic ahead of Sunday's vital SPL clash at Tynecastle when they took the scalp of Liverpool with a very impressive performance.

Lee McCulloch proved to be the match-winner with a strike on 20 minutes and there were many positives for Ally McCoist who rested most of his top guns either by leaving them out entirely or bringing them off at half-time.

It was a first Ibrox appearance for Aussie midfielder Matt McKay while Kyle Lafferty looked in the mood in the second half. Davie Weir also got the full 90 minutes playing for the first time in nearly three months and looked terrific.

Rangers had been threatening before they took the lead and were worthy of going ahead.

In 18 minutes Matt McKay's cross broke to Juan Ortiz on the right side of the box and he hit a low left foot shot which was well held by Doni.

A minute later the Liverpool keeper saved his team again when he got down well to stop a low left foot shot from Steven Whitttaker who had popped up on the edge of the box.

However, he was beaten in the 20th minute when Davis's corner fell into the box for McCulloch and he squeezed a left foot shot in at the right post as he was losing his footing,

There was some justice that it was McCulloch who scored as he had been slapped on the face by Craig Bellamy just moments before when the two fought for the ball on the main stand touchline.

Indeed it was all Rangers deserved after some good passing play and they were close to adding a second in 24 minutes.

Lee Wallace found space on the left and whipped over a good cross which McKay met well with his head but his effort was superbly saved by Doni.

McCulloch seemed to be enjoying his return to the starting line-up and he set up a great chance for Steve Davis in 35 minutes.

Looking up and seeing Davis making a great run, McCulloch fired a terrific long pass which caught out the Liverpool defence. Davis tried to lob Doni but just could not keep his shot down.

With a massive match at Tynecastle coming up on Sunday, it was no surprise that Ally McCoist made changes at half-time bringing on Neil Alexander, Jordan McMillan, Ross Perry, John Fleck and Kyle Lafferty.

It meant a rest for Allan McGregor, Steven Whittaker, Lee Wallace, Steve Davis and Nikica Jelavic and McCoist had omitted Dorin Goian, Carlos Bocanegra, Mo Edu and Stevie Naismith from his squad clearly with Tynecastle in mind.

The changes certainly did not affect Rangers too much. Indeed they felt they had scored a second goal in 55 minutes.

Fleck worked the ball into the penalty area for Bedoya who thought about shooting but found his route blocked and released Lafferty instead, He fired a low shot inside the left post which Doni got a touch to but seemed to carry over the line. Rangers claimed a goal but referee Willie Collum waved play on.

Whether it was the ferocity of Lafferty's shot or something else, Doni had to come off with what seemed a hand injury and was replaced by Martin Hansen.

Liverpool then brought on over £40million worth of talent in the shape of Dirk Kuyt, Stewart Downing, Jordan Henderson and Charlie Adam who got a rousing welcome from the Ibrox crowd.

Understandably they started to have more of the game but Rangers still carved out chances.

In 67 minutes Fleck made a great burst forward and released Lafferty on the left. The big Ulsterman tried to find the top right corner with a clever chip but his effort hit the top of the crossbar.

Then in 69 minutes Liverpool were fortunate again. Fleck's corner from the right dropped from McCulloch who smashed a shot which hit Adam on the chest. It broke to Weir, of all people, who fired a volley just over the top. What a comeback to the top team that would have been.

Andy Carroll knocks the ball past Alexander and goes down. Liverpool want a penalty. Rangers get a goal kick. Can we have a yellow card just to confirm that the referee felt Carroll 'made the most' of that.

The skipper was excellent all night, considering it was his first match since July, and he clearly has given Ally McCoist something to think about.

Teams

RANGERS:McGregor (Alexander 45); Whittaker (McMillan 45), Weir, Broadfoot, Wallace (Perry 45); Ortiz (Healy 77), Davis (Fleck 45) , McCulloch (McCabe 77), McKay (Kerkar 64); Bedoya (Bendiksen 64); Jelavic (Lafferty 45),

Subs: 

Liverpool: Doni (Hansen 56); Johnson (Flanagan 64), Agger (Skrtel 77), Coates, Wilson (Enrique 77); Bellamy (Kuyt 64), Spearing, Lucas (Adam 64), Aurelio (Downing 64); Carroll, Rodriguez (Henderson 77),

Subs: Reina,

Ref: W Collum

Man-of-the-match: Weir

Attendance: 27,453